Demonstration of Enabling Communications Technologies for Future Low-Cost Small Earth Return Vehicles

Terminal Velocity Aerospace, LLC (TVA) proposes to develop an sRLV space technology payload that demonstrates entry, descent, and landing (EDL) technologies. The technology development and subsequent flight test will demonstrate mission-enabling Automatic Dependent Surveillance-Broadcast (ADS-B) and Iridium communications and tracking technologies in flight conditions representative of those of actual EDL. In order to match these flight conditions during a suborbital drop test, the communications systems will be integrated into a capsule-shaped suborbital test vehicle (STV). The communications technology demonstration has broad applicability to EDL of small and large Earth return vehicles in general, while the integrated STV verifies functionality of a representative small return vehicle that embodies several low-cost features essential for enabling NASA and commercial missions.
June 4, 2017: RED-Data2’s Activated and Installed on Cygnus in Prep for Reentry Mission July 15, 2016: Terminal Velocity Aerospace awarded NASA Phase III SBIR for low-cost small reentry devices to enhance space commerce and ISS utilization Technology Maturation A new formulation of Silica-based conformable TPS materials have been developed at NASA Ames that are attractive for small reentry vehicle applications due to low manufacturing cost. As part of the proposed technology demonstration, TVA will demonstrate communication through these new heat shield materials, both on the ground and during suborbital flight test.

The GPS location and velocity of a small Earth-return vehicle transmitted via ADS-B may eliminate reliance on ground-based radar tracking of the reentering vehicle. This approach will benefit future commercial flight, NASA missions, and other government agencies. Future Customers The communications technologies and low-cost components of the STV are applicable to nearly any small Earth return vehicle. Such a vehicle could be employed for small payload return from ISS or other orbiting facility, upper atmosphere testing, or serve in itself as a TPS and electronics test platform. Space-capable ADS-B is also applicable to larger orbital reentry vehicles including crewed capsules.

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